“The Landlady” Discussion Questions

“The Landlady” Discussion Questions 1. Early in the story, Dahl describes the Bed and Breakfast. What words and imagery are used to describe the Bed and Breakfast? What inference does Billy make about the Bed and Breakfast based on the look of the place? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Dahl emphasizes the speed at which the Landlady answers the door. What might this foreshadow about the Landlady? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. When should Billy have been suspicious of the Landlady? When would you have been suspicious? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. Why does Dahl include the following text: “There were no other hats or coats in the hall. There were no umbrellas, no walking sticks‐nothing.”? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. When Billy is in the living room, what first alerts you that something may be wrong? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. As Billy is remembering the connection between the two boys, what effect did the interruptions from the Landlady have on the story? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 7. What can the reader infer, using evidence from the text, about the two boys that are missing? Does this help us figure out what happens to Billy? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 8. What other evidence from the story suggest a possible, fatal demise for Billy? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________